Greene County Democrat

Tag: Rev. Chris Spencer

  • In 20 years BBCF provided $100 million in grants to Black Belt with Greene County receiving $880,803

    BBCF holds listening sessions in Black Belt counties

    Participants at Greene County Listening Session and L to R: Darlene Robinson, Carol Zippert, Rev. Chris Spencer, Miriam Leftwich and Johnnie Morning.

    The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) conducted a series of county-wide listening sessions across its 12-county service area in Alabama’s Black Belt Region, including Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, Wilcox.
    The Greene County listening session, chaired by BBCF staff Rev. Christopher Spencer, was held Tuesday evening, June 24, 2025 at the Greene County Baptist Association facility on Finches Ferry Road in Eutaw. Approximately 40 persons participated, including local groups who are recipients of BBCF grants.
    Greetings were brought by Miriam Leftwich, Greene County Community Associates Coordinator and Co-Coordinator and BBCF Greene County Board Member Darlene Robinson.
    These gatherings were designed to provide a vital platform for residents, community leaders, grassroots organizations, and local stakeholders to come together and share their voices on the pressing issues, opportunities, and needs facing their communities.
    The listening sessions created a welcoming, inclusive space where participants could openly discuss challenges related to education, healthcare access, economic development, infrastructure, cultural preservation and much more.
    In each county the gathering separated into small discussion groups to address the following topics: What are our greatest strengths as a community; What would our ideal community look like if we had no limitations; Based on your answer, what is needed to create your ideal community; What are the most important things we need to focus on in the next 1-2 years to grow our community into the place we would like it to be. The small group responses were listed on charts and shared when the larger group re-assembled.
    Feedback gathered from these sessions will directly inform BBCF’s strategic priorities, investments, grant-making initiatives, and collaborative partnerships moving forward.
    These listening sessions were patterned after the initial community gatherings 20 years ago which were the cornerstones giving birth to BBCF. During that organizing period, a volunteer coordinating committee visited each county to hear from the people what they saw as their community assets. This committee envisioned that the best way for the Alabama Black Belt to capitalize on Taking what we have to make what we need was to determine what we really had. These community sessions led to the formation of BBCF.
    The Black Belt Community Foundation reaffirms its commitment to working alongside the people of the Black Belt — amplifying their voices, honoring their experiences, and investing in the dreams and solutions that emerge from within. Since its incorporation, BBCF has deployed nearly $100 million into the Black Belt through partnerships with more that 200 regional nonprofit organizations throughout the Black Belt.
    From 2005 to 2025, Greene County has received a total of $880,803 in BBCF community and arts grants and in support of other projects relating to healthy food provisions, health care information, storm damage assistance and more.
    Ms. Felecia Lucky, who was a member of the organizing committee for BBCF will leave her position as CEO/President in September to assume a similar leadership role with the F.B. Heron Foundation. Rev. Christopher Spencer, who was engaged in the organizing sessions in Sumter County and worked on the BBCF staff since the early years, has been selected by the BBCF board to serve as CEO/President.
    The session adjourned with the participants enthusiastic with the prospects of new approaches for working together to grow Greene County. Refreshments were shared with all in attendance.

     

  • Only 40.7% of Greene County households have completed the Census Greene County’s Census response rate lags behind state and national rates

    By John Zippert,
    Co-Publisher
    Greene County Democrat
    According to the U.S. Census2020 website as of today, only 40.7% of the households in Greene County have responded to the Census, which counts the population of the entire country every ten years. The 40.7% rate for Greene County lags behind the national rate of 61.4% and the State of Alabama’s rate of 59.8%.
    Marilyn Stephens, Assistant Regional Manager of the Atlanta Region, which includes the State of Alabama, said “ Take ten minutes today to help ensure benefits to your community for the next ten years!”
    Stephens indicated that the coronavirus pandemic had delayed and interfered with some of the schedule for the Census, including house-to-house visits, but that the Census takers would soon be coming around.
    In the meantime, Stephens suggested that those households that have not completed the 2020 Census, can call the toll free number: 1-844-330-2020 and answer the questions by phone. She said you can also use your cell phone, tablet or computer and go to: my2020Census.gov, and complete the Census online.
    Those persons who never received, lost or misplaced the original communication from the Census, which had an identification number, can call in or report online based on their address. Stephens said, “Don’t worry about a deadline, for you the deadline is today, to complete your Census.”
    Stephens said there are two main reasons, why Greene County residents should complete the Census, “First, the population count in the Census is used to determine the apportionment of districts for U. S. Congress, the state legislature and local electoral districts. So if you do not participate in the Census, your state, county and city may lose representation and a voice in making important policy decisions that will affect your life.

    “Second, the Census count is used in distributing $675 Billion or more in Federal and state dollars each year for programs for healthcare, rural hospitals, school lunch programs, senior citizens meals, Headstart, Community Development Block Grants, SNAP, WIC and highway funds. If you do not report in the Census, you are shortchanging your community and your household from receiving a fair and adequate share of these benefits.”
    Rev. Chris Spencer, with the Black Belt Community Foundation, says, “We must work to get every resident counted in the Census to assure that we get the benefits we need from Federal and state programs. Every church, housing development, and community organization needs to check its membership and help make sure that we get one hundred percent completion of the Census. 40% is a good start but we need to finish the job, we need everyone’s help.”
    Carrie Fulghum, Manager of the Eutaw Elderly Village, a thirty unit elderly housing development in the city, with the help of Miriam Leftwitch, a board member, went door to door and helped every resident to complete the Census. “We gave each person, who completed the Census, a ticket in a raffle, and awarded a prize basket of supplies and snacks to the winner. This was a small incentive to help ensure that everyone in our housing community completed the Census. We challenge every other housing development in our city and county to do the same.”
    Kinya Isaac, who is the Census Coordinator for Greene County, said, “When you talk with your friends and neighbors ask them if they have completed the Census and ask if you can assist them if they need help to call or get online.”
    Marilyn Stephens, completed her interview by saying,” I want people to know that the Census is safe. By law, you are protected from any of your personal information being released or used against you. We do not publish any information on individuals just aggregated data for an area”

  • National Action Network holds vigil in Eutaw for George Floyd

    The National Action Network (NAN) of West Alabama held a vigil and memorial program to honor George Floyd on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in front of the old Courthouse in Eutaw, Alabama. Floyd was the Black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis earlier in the week.
    Beverly Gordon, Coordinator of NAN, convened the program, on short notice, attended by twenty Greene Countians to honor Floyd. Rev. Chris Spencer, Rev. Joe Webb, Spiver Gordon and others addressed the group about the need to end police brutality, awareness of the continuing impacts of the coronavirus and the need to participate in and complete the 2020 Census.
    A central message of the program was that God will deliver us from these problems but we must do our part by learning about the issues and actively participating in their solution.